Universal Acquires Jordan’s Wheel of Time

Universal Pictures has acquired film rights to the late Robert Jordan’s best-selling “The Wheel of Time” novel series, reports Variety.

Adaptations of the fantasy novels will begin with the first book in the cycle, “The Eye of the World.”

Rick Selvage and Larry Mondragon will produce for Red Eagle Entertainment, which published graphic novel adaptations of Jordan’s books.

“The Wheel of Time” follows, among its dozens of characters, Rand al’Thor, the latest incarnation of a force for good called “The Dragon.” Rand is born to fight an evil character called Shai’tan.

Jordan died last year at 58, but the final book in the series is still set for publication in fall 2009, with fellow fantasy writer Brandon Sanderson writing the novel’s conclusion from Jordan’s notes and tapes.